Moonlight Patchouli

I adore this one. The perfect scent for summer evenings (or anytime really). I feel like it could be my signature. But a pity that I can barely smell it, maybe I need to take a break from my sillage-beasts for a week, and try wearing this again, I feel like my more nuclear scents have ruined my nose for gentler fragrances such as this one. I know I smell good wearing it, and I can smell it vaguely in the air around me, but I have to stick my nose to my wrist to fully savor it’s beauty. So what does it smell like? It has an ethereal, romantic feel to it that I love, it’s dark, yet soft and fuzzy...rose, iris, a damp, green patchouli, a velvety nuance from suede, a teasing touch of bitter sweetness from cacao, a hint of vague watery sweetness from some fruit (can’t seem to figure out what fruit? Is it pear?). It is evocative of being in a dew drenched garden in the moonlight. The only other scent I’ve tried that has conjured the same image in my mind is OG Midnight Poison. No, they don’t smell alike, apart from both of them being rose-centered and damp/earthy-patchouli dominant, but the vibes are similar. Moonlight Patchouli is gentler and more delicate, it’s a clean and very refined scent, smooth, and not at all heavy. Unisex, but to me, it leans feminine, for example, dark scents like Dior Addict and Midnight Poison are more ‘masculine’ to me than this, imho. It doesn’t last beyond 5-6 hours on my skin but I can still smell it on my clothes at the end of the day. Sillage depends on how much you spray, anywhere from intimate to strong. I love layering Moonlight Patchouli with just a light spray of Mancera’s Choco Violette (1 part Choco Violette to 2-3 parts Moonlight Patchouli) when I want a little more oomph, perfect combo (if you like chocolate, but still want to smell elegant), and they complement each other beautifully, if you have both scents, do try it.

Call me crazy, but this perfume smells like a medieval, courtly murder scene... under the moonlight. A romantic murder involving spies, kings and queens and courtyards in the pitch black of night in some forlorn and forbidden medieval garden invaded by moon's dark,subdued haze where death causes no bloodshed or has any consequence - death per se. But i digress The opening is a warm soft haze of delighful pathouli with a creamy kind of rose and a touch of cacao (barely noticeable... i'd have hardly known its there had i not consulted the notes here)... suede emerges, which promtly betrays traces of harsher leather. cacao takes centrestage wrapped in a bouquet of fecundating roses while Iris lends a little sweetness to this mouth watering composition. It is more or less a linear scent but who's complaining? There's a lot going on to focus on individual notes and accords except the rose, which is really prominent and discernible like the large of the moon in the dark of night. This and Menditorrosa Le Mat for me are quintessential genderless roses (both in courtship with their earthly lover, Mr. Patch), nevermind POAL, Lyric, RONML etc. Master errr... Senior perfumer Sonia Constant is a favorite who has been amazing with flowers, especially roses. just look up her resume! I would call this a nonrepresentational perfume, by which i refer to those perfumes which do not hark back at familiar olfactory motifs and standards, but trace new ones; a tracing of a past world interspersed with the future. I mean, isn't that why we wear or smell perfumes in the first place? Resurrect the past, evoke the future! Memories, dreams, reflections. See myself wearing it on a mysterious date night... spying or being spied upon, waiitng to die a sweet romantic inconsequential death for no reason while walking hand in hand with a king's forbidden daughter. but i digress..

General Description: Van Cleef & Arpels Moonlight Patchouli is a fragrance that embodies the elegance and mystery of the night. With a magical and dark blend of notes, it offers a decadent and stimulating olfactory experience, ideal for nighttime adventures in luxurious places. Olfactory Notes: Top Notes: Patchouli and cocoa, providing a rich and earthy opening with a hint of sweetness. Heart Notes: Iris and Bulgarian rose, adding a sophisticated floral dimension. Base Notes: Leather and suede, which provide a warm and elegant foundation. Scent: From the first application, Moonlight Patchouli surprises with a rich blend of patchouli and cocoa, creating an earthy and slightly sweet opening. As the fragrance evolves, the heart of iris and Bulgarian rose brings floral sophistication that perfectly complements the leather and suede notes in the base. The result is a decadent and elegant scent that stimulates the senses. Performance: Duration: Excellent longevity, lasting on the skin for 10-12 hours. Projection: Moderate to strong, ensuring it is noticed without being overwhelming. Versatility: Moonlight Patchouli is ideal for adventurous nights, where each moment is filled with mystery and luxury. It is perfect for formal events, parties in castles, or private clubs, where the setting is sophisticated and exclusive. Personal Opinion: This perfume is simply enchanting. Its dark and nocturnal magic, combined with formal elegance, makes it my favorite fragrance. I never thought patchouli could be so interesting and classy. I love it so much that I am already thinking of buying another bottle to keep as a backup, as I cannot imagine being without it. It is the perfect fragrance for adventurous nights, from a party in a castle to a private club with a trendy DJ playing lo-fi.

Moonlight Patchouli is a very sensual Patchouli fragrance. It's my second fragrance from the VCnA Niche line after Ambre Imperial and so far 2 for 2. Very nice fragrances. This one starts with a slightly sweetish Patchouli note, the cacoa I am assuming but the Sweetness fades as the Patchouli remains to be joined by a fantastic floral heart. Dry, vibrant rose and a dewey sort of iris. I guess this is the " Moonlight" part. You could visualise walking to meet a lover for a moonlit tryst in a garden grotto with night blooming flowers softly scenting the air. The base is a mild fruity leather note but the fragrance is so weak at that point, it is barely discernable. Projection on this fragrance is soft, it comes and goes, softly wafting in the air around you just when you think it's gone. Longevity is good, stays on my skin for about 6-7 hours. This is not a attention grabbing , statement frag. This is a slow burn frag ideal for close encounters of the romantic kind or Any occasion where someone, hopefully romantically inclined, is in close proximity to you. So dates and nights out for dinner are good fits. Another winner has gone into my night fragrance rotation. If you want a beautifully done Patchouli, a far cry from the usual Middle eastern Rose Patch blends, look no further. I just went ahead and ordered a Full bottle of this.

I actually bought this perfume to add depth to Rose Tonnerre. I made a blind buy, decided based on its notes, and bingo! The choice is very successful from the first moment. It is hard to describe the scent. When I first spray it, a dominant scent of freshly cut wood comes. Afterwards, I start to get the tonka bean along with patchouli. I don't like tonka much, it feels a bit like cheap sweetness to me. Fortunately, tonka doesn't come and settle in my nose for too long in this perfume. Contrary to the pyramid, I start to get rose in the base notes, not in the middle. A clean and fresh rose, but also slightly soapy at the same time. The interesting thing is this; when I press my nose to the place I sprayed the perfume, I don't get the rose. I only get the rose in the presence of a light wind or air current, if I don't press my nose to the perfume. It is almost as if the rose is hidden. Very nice. My husband hates rose perfumes, yet surprisingly he liked this perfume. I can say it is definitely unisex, even genderless. If we took out the tonka I would probably be happier, but even in this state, it gets full marks from me.